Car-coupling



No. 6|8,l2l. Patented Jan. 24, I899. T. J. MGBRIDE.

GAB COUPLING.

(Application filed Apr. 9, 1898.)

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Patented Jan. 24, I899.

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. T. J. MCBRIDE. CAR COUPLING.

(Application filed. Apr. 9, 1898.) v (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNiTEn STATES PATENT EiuoE.

THOMAS J. MCBRIDE, OF BRIMLEY, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,121, dated January 24, 1899.

Application filed April 9, 1893. Serial No. 677,020. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. MCBRIDE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Brimley, in the county of Chippewa, in the State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a clear, full, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Myinvention relates to automatic car-couplings, the object being to provide a coupling which will automatically couple by the contact of two cars, thereby preventing injury or loss of life.

A further object is to provide a coupling which, if desired, may be coupled either at the side or top of the cars.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the subjoined description, illustrated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of two cars in the act of coupling, myinvention being applied there to. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of a car, showing the position after being coupled, a portion of the draw-head of the other car being shown. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view showing the position of the principal parts before coupling.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In carrying out my invention I employ the usual draw-bar 1, provided with a draw-l1ead 2, said draw-head having a vertical projection 3. This projection has a rounded rear surface and is provided with the usual pinhole 4:, communicating with the link-chamber 5 of the draw-head. Pivoted to the rear end of the draw-head is a coupling-loop 6,.which is adapted to swing downward and embrace the projection on the opposite draw-head, as shown in Fig. 2. This coupling-loop is provided with eyes '7, to which is attached a frame 8, said frame being formed with an eye 9 at the center of its horizontal side and having secured thereto one end of a crank-lever 10. This leveris secured to the car by means of eyes 11 and has on its outer end a handle 12,

the object of which will be presently understood. Secured to the car above the handle 12 is an outwardly-projecting curved bar 13, which cooperates with an angularly-bent securing-iron l4 and forms means I" orholding the handle 12 in a vertical position. The securingiron 14 comprises a horizontal portion 15, one end of which is curved to form a shoulder 16, the other end being bent at right angles to form a loop 17, and then backward, as at 17% so that when the upright portion 18 is secured close to the car the horizontal portion will be a slight distance therefrom. The portion 18 is bent slightly out of the vertical line and is secured to the car by means of guides 19, so that when the horizontal portion is on a plane with the curved bar 13 the projecting loop 17 of the securing-iron comes in contact and engages therewith, and by reason of the spring-like qualities of the bar remains in such position until purposely removed. Ropes or chains 20 and 21 are attached to the loop formed on the handle 12 of the crank-lever and the portion 17 a of the securing-iron, said ropes or chains passing upward through eyes 22, secured to one side of the end of the car, and eyes 23, formed in each endof a bracket 24, secured to the top of the car, near the center thereof. Grips 25 are secured to the ends of the ropes to afford a convenient handle and to prevent them from slipping through the eyes. A guide-bar 26 projects from the car the looped end of which embraces the horizontal portion of the securing-iron and serves to limit the movement of said iron. Secured above the guide-bar and slightly to one side by means of eyes or loops 27 is an outwardly-swinging operating-arm 28, comprising a long member 29 and a short member 30. When in its operative position the short arm rests transversely across the securing-iron between the loop of the guide-bar and the shoulder 16 of the securing-iron, said guide-bar also serving to limit the outward movement of the operating-arm. A rectangular frame 31 projects outwardly from the opposite car a sufficient distance to permit the arm 29 to come in contact therewith before the meeting of the draw-heads.

The operation of my device is as follows: By pulling upon the rope or chain 20 the handle of the crank-lever is raised to a vertical position, which carries with it the couplingloop, and after the operating-arm 29 is swung outward the securing-iron is raised by means of the rope 21, which engages with the arm 13 in front of the lever 12 and retains said lever-handle in its raised position, While the short member 30 of the operating-arm is held between the guide-bar and the shoulder of the securing-rod, as shown in Fig. 4. It

will be apparent that as soon as the frame 31 on the opposite car comes in contact with the curved end of the operating-arm said arm will be pushed inward, carrying with it the short member and causing it to release the securing-iron 15 from engagement with the arm 13, said securing-iron 15 then dropping by reason of its weight and releasing the handle of the crank-lever, which falls downward by force of gravity, allowing the couplingloop to embrace the projection on the opposide draw-head.

It will thus be seen that I have produced an automatic coupling which is simple of construction, positive and reliable in operation, and may be used with the ordinary link-andpin coupling when desired.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the construction.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. A car-coupling comprising a draw-head provided with the ordinary link and pin receiving chamber and having also a vertical projection formed thereon; a coupling-loop pivotally connected to the drawhead; a crank-lever connected to said coupling-loop and having an operatinghandle upon its outer end; a curved bar located on the end of the car; a securing-iron slidably mounted upon the end of the car, said securing-iron and said curved bar being adapted to retain the handle of the crank-lever in a vertical position;

and means, actuated by the approaching car for releasing said securing-iron, substantially as described.

In a car-con plin g; a draw-head provided with the ordinary link and pin receiving chamber and having a vertical projection formed thereon,said projection being adapted to receive the coupling-loop of the opposite draw-head; a coupling-loop pivotally connected to the draw-head; a crank-lever connected tosaid coupling-loop by means of a pivoted frame; said lever having an operating-handle at its outer end; a securing-iron slidably mounted in guides upon the end of the car, said guides being so arranged as to give the securing-iron a slanting course, said securing-irou comprising a horizontal portion, having a curved shoulder at one end and an angularly-bent loop at the other, said loop terminating in a vertical angular portion; an outwardly-projecting curved bar adapted to come in contact with said securing-iron when .the iron is in a raised position, thereby providing means for retaining the handle of the crank-lever in a vertical positlon a guide-bar adapted to limit the movement of said securing-iron; a swingingoperating-arm comprising a long curved member and a short straight member being adapted to release the securing-arm by means of the curved shoulder of said arm; outwardly-projecting frame secured to the opposite car and adapted to operate the swinging arm; ropes or chains secured to said lever-handle and securing-iron; said ropes or chains being adapted to operate said crank-lever and securing-iron.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of witnesses.

THOMAS J. MCBRIDE.

Vitnesses:

JOHN A. OoLwELL, WM. HoWDEN, SIMON DUMOND. 

